Over the last few months it seems that several parents have been arrested and charged with a form of child abandonment. Some of the arrest may have been warrented, but I doubt they all are actual abandonment cases. I remember one, a grandmother was charged when her, I believe it was also a three year old, grandchild wander off from the home, and a passerby called police. When the police arrived, the grandmother came down the street and told officers the child was missing. It was then when the officer arrested grandma and charged her with child abandonment.
You will see that in Missouri, it is not a crime for a small child to escape from their parents and wander off. In Laredo it is a crime that will get the parent(s) arrested and stuck with a criminal record. At least the police there are allowed to use common sense and make judgment calls on these types of issues.
If only Laredo was as advanced.
Part of the story from the Kansas City Star:
The 3-year-old made it two blocks at about 10:45 a.m. Tuesday before an alert passerby put an end to his madcap.
“He had good identification,” said Liberty Police Lieutenant Andy Hedrick. “They used the dog tag and mother’s purse to determine where the little boy lived.”
The situation — sure to be a legendary family story for years to come — could have turned out much worse. He had already made it two blocks, but still needed to cover another three blocks before arriving at his grandmother’s, Hedrick said.
The passerby cared enough to pull over and call police.
“She didn’t think that looked right,” he said. “She lived nearby and was driving by and saw him walking with the purse and the dog.”
When the officers located the boy’s home they were greeted at the door by a distraught mother.
“Mom had the phone in her hand and was about to frantically call police,” Hedrick said. “She was thankful to have him returned.”
The officers left the boy with his mother after they were assured it had all been an isolated incident.
“The officers talked to the mom and they didn’t find anything else at the home to cause concern,” he said.
His mother told police she had stayed up late. He was gone when she woke up.
“Three-year-olds are tough because they’re old enough to be mobile and really make some good time,” Hedrick said.
It really is time to end this nanny state idea that a child who is not in the immediate area of the parent is an abandoned child. Kids are kids and thank God they are curious. So Laredo, if you agree, let your city council person know how you feel.
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